Watch-bracelet connecter



March 31, 1931. c, A, MEALY 1,798,619

WATCH BRACELET CONNECTER Filed March 1, 1950 I I l I I I L jazz 67 "6Z07 6 7za7Za9 am @WQQAUM Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE CHARLES A. MEALY, OF WEST BARRINGTON, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOB TOTHE HADLEY COMPANY, INC., OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OFRHODE ISLAND WATCH-BRACELET CONNECTER Application filed March 1,

This invention relates to bracelet connecters and pertains moreparticularly to improved means for separably connecting a bracelet endto a watch case or the like.

'5 The principal object of the invention is to provide a detachableconnecter which may be inserted and anchored behind a constrictedopening at the side of the watch case with a portion of the connecterprojecting through the opening for attachment to a bracelet end. Theanchored portion of the connecter may thus be concealed by the watchcase within a pocket or recess which is accessible by removing a portionof the case or which may have an open bottom permitting the connecter tobe applied without separating the watch case.

The connecter herein described is particularly adapted for use with anopen link bracelet of the type disclosed in a copending applicationSerial No. 426,304, filed February 6, 1930, by myself and another jointinventor; and the link connecting elements covered in said applicationare employed in the recommended embodiment of the present invention,which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, for attaching theprojecting portion of the removable connecter to the end link of thebracelet after the bracelet length has been properly adjusted by addingor removing links. It will be understood however that my improvement maybe employed with other forms of bracelet without departing from thespirit of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a link bracelet attached to a watch case by myimproved connecting means;

Fig. 2 is a section 011 line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating one mode of removing the connecterfrom the watch case after removing the back of the case and the watchmovement;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the manner of separably attaching theprojecting end of the connecter to the end link of the illustratedbracelet, and also illustrating a modification in the Watch case; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the con necter.

1930. Serial No. 432,391.

As more fully described in said copending application, the braceletshown in the drawings comprises a plurality of open links 6 separablyinterlocked by connecting elements including a member 7 straddling theside bars 8 of adjacent links and a locking piece 9 removablyinterfitting in channels 10 of said member. The locking piece slidesendwise into the base of the member 7 and is held in position byfriction or by supplementaryfastening means, thereby to enclose the sidebars of the links within the connecting member. The bracelet shown insaid application is provided with an end hook which is fastened upon aprojecting bail or loop of a watch case; and the principal purpose ofthe present invention is to avoid a visible connection of the formertype by concealing the anchored portion of the connector within a pocketor recess constituting a part of or an adjunct to the watch case.

Accordingly, the watch case 11 herein illustrated is provided with anormally closed pocket 12 which is accessible after removing the back ofthe case and which has a constricted opening or slot 13 leadingtherefrom through the side 14 of the case. The back 15 of the watch casemay be pivotally or detachably mounted upon the body portion 11 thereofin any usual. manner, and

the front or bezel of the case may be integral with said body portion orseparable therefrom, all in accordance with common practices.

The connecter 16 preferably comprises a piece of sheet metal having atransverse slot 17 adjacent one end and an anchoring portion 18 whichmay be formed by rolling the metal stock into a tube, at its oppositeend.

The slot 17 may be conveniently provided by striking a tongue 19 fromthe metal blank and folding the tongue backwardly upon the outer marginof the connecter. When applied to the watch case, the slotted end of theconnecter projects outwardly through slot 13, while the enlargedanchoring portion 18 is retained within the pocket 12 behind theconstricted opening, the diameter of the tube being greater than thewidth of the slot. The projecting end may be attached to the end link ofthe bracelet by the separable connecting elements 7 and 9 in the samemanner as the elements are applied to adjacent links of the bracelet.For eX- ample, member 7 may be passed through the opening 17 in theconnecter (Fig. 4) and over the side bar 8 of the end link 6, and thelocking piece 9 may then be slid endwise into the guide channels ofmember 7 to close the bottomof said member (Fig. Accordingly theconnecter 16 afiords a'secure but readily separable attachment forconnecting.

to this invention, provided that the case has a constricted slot orvopening through which a portionof'the connecter may project outwardly.and 'thatthe innerend'of the removable connecterisanchored behind saidopening within arecess or pocket of the case which is accessible fromthe back of the case to permit insertion or removal 'of'the connecter.Thewatch cases shown in the drawings areaccordingly merely illustrativeof this invention, and their structure may be modified as desiredwithout sacrifice of-the efiiciency of theimproved connections The case.ofFig s. 1, 2 and'3 is provided with a detachable back 15 which enclosesand entirelyconceals the anchoring portion within the case; whereas inFig, 4 the hack 2O 01" case 21 terminates short ofthe wall 14 leavingthe bottom of the pocket 21 open.

In order to insert orremove the connecter from the case of to 3, it isnecessary to detach the back 11 and, in some cases, also to remove thewatch movement as in.- dicated' in Fig. 3;.but' in the structure of Fig.i, the connecter may be appliedor, removed through the open bottom oithe f ocket with out separating the watch case. In either instance theconnecter l6 removably an'- chored within the watch case and only arelatively small portion is visible after the hracelet'is attached toits projecting end. As above described,fsaid projecting end preterablyhas a slot or opening to receive a separable attachment for connectingthe bracelet end thereto, but any common form of attachment may beemployed, as desired.

It is thusapparent that the vprincipal feature of this invention is theprovision of a con-necter whichmay be removably applied to a watch casewith its outer end projecting through an openingin the, side of the casefor separable attachment toa bracelet end and its inner end anchoredbehind said recessand concealedwithin the case, at least when the Watchis applied'to the wrist. A connecter of the type described is ofsimpleconstruction and furnishes an attachment of pleasing and distinctiveappearance which is durable in use and efiicient in operation, and whichmay be applied or removed with ease.

I. claim 1. A watch case or the like provided with an interior recessand a constricted 7 opening leading outwardly therefrom, a removabl'econnecter having its outer endproj ecting through said opening and itsinner end anchored insaid recess, and a bracelet separably attached tothe projecting end of the co-nnecter.

2. A watch case or the like provided with an interior recess and aconstricted opening leading outwardly therefrom, a connecter having anenlarged portion anchored behind the opening within said recess and anend portion projecting outwardly through said openin the anchoredportion being concealed by the front of the watch case and beingremovable from the case by withdrawing its portion inwardly through theopening, and a bracelet separably attached to the projecting end of theconnecter.

3. A watch case or the like provided with an interior recess and'aconstricted opening leading outwardly therefrom through the side of thecase, a connecter having an end portion smaller than the openingprojecting outwardly through said opening and having an enlarged innerend anchored in the recess behind the opening, the connecter being vremovably i'nsertrble through the interior of' the watch case, abracelet, and means for separably attaching the bracelet end to theprojecting portion oft-he connector.

4. A watch case or the like providedwith an interior recess and a slotleading outwardly therefromthrough the side of" the case, the recessbeing accessible from the interior of the case, a removableconnecter-iormed of ios sheet metal and having aflat end portionprojecting outwardly through said slot; and a rolled portion at itsopposite end, the diameter of the rolled portion bcinggrea-ter than thewidth ofth-e slot to anchor the in- -ner end of theconnecter within therecess,

and the flat outer end of the con-n'ecter having an openingtl'ierethro-ugh, a bracelet, and means passing through said opening forseparably attaching the bracelet end to the connecter.

Signed by me at Providence, Rhode Island. this 19th day'of February,1930. r I

CHARLES A; MEALY.

